Officials from the Department of Agriculture led the formal turnover of a P70.2-million rice processing facility to farmers in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro—one of the country’s major rice-producing towns.
“This is another step toward realizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of a modernized agricultural sector—one where farmers are more productive and profitable, food supply is stable, and prices remain affordable,” Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a message read by DA Regional Technical Director Vener Dilig.
The state-of-the-art facility, delivered by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), was funded under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization program. It represents a significant upgrade from the small-scale postharvest tools used in past decades.
At the heart of the complex is a Rice Processing System equipped with a mill capable of processing up to 3 metric tons per hour—over 18 tons per day.
At the heart of the complex is a Rice Processing System equipped with a mill capable of processing up to 3 metric tons per hour—over 18 tons per day.
The facility also includes two dryers with a 6-ton-per-batch capacity, and two larger dryers handling up to 12 tons per batch.
With this infrastructure in place, local farmers can now independently dry and mill their rice, reducing dependency on traders and middlemen. This is expected to lead to higher income for producers and greater control over the value of their harvests.
“This facility gives farmers the power to manage their own produce,” Tiu Laurel stressed.
“They are no longer at the mercy of low farmgate prices.”
“They are no longer at the mercy of low farmgate prices. Now, they can process and market their rice directly,” the agriculture chief added.
In the long run, consumers are also expected to benefit from increased access to locally milled, high-quality rice at more affordable prices.
The facility in Naujan is part of the DA’s broader push to modernize the country’s postharvest systems and improve the lives of Filipino farmers—turning policy into tangible progress on the ground.
